Under the spotlight of thousands, the Human-faced Owl landed on the Cloudview Platform.
Shang Mancang grew nervous under the watching and whispering eyes.
She turned and saw Yun Miao nimbly jump down from the owl’s back, waving a hand to greet Huaxin, Tan Xiaobai, Laoguan, and Gao Zhu as she approached.
“Good morning, Huaxin, Tan Xiaobai, Laoguan, Gao Zhu, have you eaten yet?”
Shang Mancang hurried to catch up and whispered to Yun Miao, “Junior Sister Yun, aren’t you nervous at all?”
She’d never before been watched and discussed by so many people at once and was so nervous she nearly tripped.
“Why be nervous?”
Yun Miao first looked puzzled, then suddenly realized and patted Shang Mancang’s shoulder. “Are you worried that Master will reject you because of your mistakes?”
“No need to worry. Minor mistakes like this usually don’t get you kicked out.”
Then she lowered her voice: “And didn’t Senior Sister Ning say just now? Today’s the Disciple Recruitment Grand Ceremony.”
“All the sect’s Peak Lords, Elders, and disciples are here. If your Master dares to reject you, just cling to their thigh and cry. If you cry enough, even if your Master won’t accept you, others will.”
Shang Mancang paused, then realized this was possible. Her voice dropped even lower as she rubbed the Jin Chan Pendant at her waist. “I… I don’t know if that’s really good.”
“What’s wrong with that? Do you think cultivation is some easy thing? Do cultivators just sit elegantly drinking tea for hundreds or thousands of years until they become immortals?”
Yun Miao recalled the harsh scenes from cultivation novels and said solemnly, “Senior Sister Ning told me before that cultivators outside the sect compete for opportunities with deceit and bloodshed.”
“Small fry like us wouldn’t last a single incense stick’s time before getting stripped down.”
“And now you only have to cry a few times to have a chance to find a powerful, knowledgeable Master. Would you give that up for so-called pride or face?”
Shang Mancang had never witnessed such brutal fights for opportunity but Yun Miao’s words stirred memories.
Her father had been gravely ill and needed medicine. The family sold off belongings for copper coins to buy it, so her earliest memory was that bitter medicinal smell, the suffocating stench of poverty.
Thankfully, her mother was capable. Using an ancestral recipe, she went from street stall to shop owner, though most earnings went to repay medical debts.
Life gradually improved. As a child, Shang Mancang split her time between home and stall, caring for her father while helping her mother.
But shortly after opening the shop, someone came offering to buy their recipe cheaply. Her mother refused, and then thugs began harassing their home and shop.
Then… her father chose to hang himself so as not to be a burden.
Following his last wishes, her mother took her far back to their hometown and married the childhood friend who had once proposed. She was only ten.
Her stepfather was not only a wealthy merchant but a rare devoted man, long unmarried, waiting for her mother.
He treated her like his own daughter. Just one move from him cleared out the bullies who had harassed them.
Her mother’s smile returned, she stayed at home raising children, soon giving birth to a younger brother.
Everyone said she was lucky, and she knew it—but she still felt it wasn’t enough. A burning ambition grew within her.
“Of course not!”
She had fought with her stepfather and mother to come seek immortality because she refused to be just a merchant’s daughter who later became a good wife.
She wanted money, lots of it. She wanted the power to protect her wealth. Naturally, she wanted a Master who could teach her to grow stronger and know more to make money. She wanted it all!
Clutching the Jin Chan Pendant, it was as if she grasped all her ambition in her hand.
“You’re right. Business must be fought for yourself, and cultivation opportunities must also be earned by yourself.”
“If crying gets me accepted under the Array Peak Lord, what’s face worth? I can flood Xuantian Palace with my tears!”
Yun Miao gave a thumbs-up. “Well said! I support you!”
Another successful day of friendly NPC interaction.
Completely unaware, the murmurs around them had quieted to near silence. Some stared at Yun Miao and Shang Mancang in astonishment before feverishly sending messages to traveling friends.
“Girls, you really missed out not being at the sect today! Ever heard of flooding Xuantian Palace with tears?”
“Bro, you have no idea what you missed! Junior Sister said blablabla… Oh right, be careful out there, don’t get your shrimp line pulled.”
Some quietly looked toward Ning Yu and used Transmission via Spiritual Sense to chat with her.
【Senior Sister Ning, what did you say to the junior brothers and sisters in private?】
【Are you scaring the disciples again?】
【Honestly, if you think about what Junior Sister Yun just said, it makes sense.】
【Though the path of cultivation is brutal, scaring kids like that isn’t very nice, right?】
Ning Yu: ……….. I never said those things!
***
Meanwhile, Huaxin, finally unable to stand it, scowled and stepped out from the group.
Under the solemn gazes of Tan Xiaobai and others, she grabbed the two making a scene at the platform’s edge by the arms and pulled them back into line.
“Both of you, shut up!”
Shang Mancang was led away by Huaxin.
Only then did Shang Mancang notice the eerie silence around them. She froze, then her round face blushed bright red like an apple.
Her clumsy stumble instantly triggered a burst of laughter from those around, filling the mountaintop with joyful atmosphere.
Yun Miao treated these background NPCs like radishes and cabbage, her expression never changing, leaving everyone in awe.
At that moment, the tightly closed doors of Xuantian Palace opened, marking the official start of the Disciple Recruitment Grand Ceremony.
Ning Yu finally relaxed slightly, scolding in a cold voice: “Silence!”
The laughter abruptly stopped, and the crowd climbed down from their magical artifacts and mounts.
Even Ding Sang Sang, who had seemed utterly asleep, opened her eyes instantly, rolled off the ancient turtle, and bowed with the others to Sect Master Chang and the Peak Lords seated on the palace’s high platform.
“Greetings, Sect Master, Peak Lords, and Elders!”
Over a thousand voices rose together, deafening in volume. The atmosphere atop the mountain shifted instantly, solemn and majestic.
The new disciples on the Cloudview Platform grew nervous, unsure whether to bow. Fortunately, Ning Yu spoke again.
“Follow me.”
She led the crowd down the steps and into the grand hall of Xuantian Palace. The footsteps of over fifty people echoed rhythmically in the spacious hall.
Sect Master Chang and the others’ eyes naturally fell on Yun Miao and Shang Mancang.
They had been observing these adorable new disciples with Spiritual Sense and heard their conversations—including the Array Peak Lord Zuo Beixing.
Elder Gu quietly transmitted by Spiritual Sense: 【Lord Zuo, what do you think?】
Others looked over. Sect Master Chang awkwardly stroked his beard: 【Sorry, Sister Zuo. Little Miao is young and inexperienced…】
Zuo Beixing felt good: 【No need to apologize, Sect Master. I think what your little disciple said makes a lot of sense. Shang Mancang’s resolute expression is also quite pleasing. It makes me, as her Master, even more satisfied.】
【This kind of determination is like the Array Core in a great formation—irreplaceable and essential. As long as it’s there, the small details don’t matter.】
Elsewhere, Yun Miao curiously examined her surroundings. The grand hall was free of the floating light mirrors and awakening stones seen before, but over fifty meditation cushions lay on the floor.
On the wall behind Sect Master Chang and the others hung a large portrait of a middle-aged woman seated upon auspicious clouds.
The woman’s face was stern, her sharp eyes seeming to exert an invisible pressure. Even the Sect Master and others on the platform wore serious, imposing expressions that dared no one to meet their gaze.
The new disciples instinctively lowered their heads to receive orders. Even Yun Miao was affected, her expression turning more serious.
Ning Yu: “Straighten your collars.”
The disciples symbolically adjusted their robes.
Ning Yu: “Cleanse your hands.”
A copper basin filled with water appeared before them, and one by one they cleansed their hands.
Then, led by Ning Yu, they knelt on the cushions and bowed to the portrait of the Zushi and the sect elders on the platform.
This marked the completion of ceremony for the Waimen Disciples. Yun Miao and five other Neimen Disciples needed to step forward for their separate master-disciple ceremony.
Following Ning Yu’s instructions, Yun Miao alone stepped to the platform, knelt on a cushion, and kowtowed to her Master at the front of the platform. She then handed over the pre-prepared tea for the ceremony.
“Well, well, well.”
The white-bearded old man drank the tea with a radiant smile. As usual, his dry, warm hand ruffled Yun Miao’s hair, messing up the swordpin Ning Yu had just arranged.
His voice remained as loving and gentle as ever.
“Good little disciple, I won’t say much else, just remember one thing: my promise is forever valid.”
He then handed Yun Miao a prepared gift—a book titled… 《Five Elements Dao Manual: Volume One》.
Yun Miao was momentarily stunned. She remembered Master saying yesterday she couldn’t possibly…
Sect Master Chang explained, “The old Daoist spent the whole night searching the Book Repository but couldn’t find even a scrap on cultivating the Five Elements Dao Body.”
“He only found a fragment about the power of the Five Elements, so I had it copied. Though I don’t understand the Five Elements power myself, we can explore it together.”
Seeing Yun Miao staring silently at the book for a long time, Sect Master Chang hesitated. “What’s wrong? Don’t like the gift?”
“Of course not. I just suddenly realized my gift to Master is a bit too cheap compared to what Master gave me.”
Yun Miao brushed her hand over her Storage Pouch, and a slender stream of water flowed out, carrying a handful of vibrant Wildflowers of Spiritual Energy.
“I wanted to pick some beautiful flowers from the field near the medicinal furnace to give Master, but Senior Sister Ning said that’s Master Tian’s field, and I’m not allowed to pick.”
“So I could only pick some wildflowers from the edge of the ridge. But I made sure to pick ones with Spiritual Sense. They’re pretty, right?”
Sect Master Chang looked shocked. “Good little disciple, didn’t Shubai say you couldn’t release Qi yesterday?”
Yun Miao calmly explained, “After I woke up, I found I could inspect my body through Spiritual Sense—that’s probably what Senior Brother called Divine Sense Introspection.”
“Controlling Qi this way is much easier. Like now, I only need to guide Water Spiritual Power along the route Senior Brother helped me release yesterday.”
After gaining Spiritual Sense, two new skills appeared on her skill bar: Divine Sense Externalization and Divine Sense Introspection.
Using the latter, she could observe her body with a ‘third eye’ that didn’t physically exist. Her flesh, meridians, dantian, and Purple Mansion were all visible.
The meridians bruised by the violent Five Elements Qi yesterday were noticeably thicker than the others—hard to miss.
Sect Master Chang was even more stunned. “You’re saying you not only learned to separate and release Qi but also… self-taught Divine Sense Introspection, a skill usually only Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators have?”
“Yes, because I’m a genius.”
Yun Miao controlled the water flow to deliver the wildflowers to her Master, promising with natural confidence.
“So Master, no need to worry—I won’t die.”
Sect Master Chang’s eyes flickered in surprise. Then he took the lively wildflowers and, with misty eyes, tousled Yun Miao’s hair into a messy nest.
“Good child, good child… Master has not misjudged you…”
Everyone on the high platform instantly fell silent, exchanging glances.
They had been wondering if Sect Master was spoiling this little disciple too much.
Though he had spoiled Qi Shubai before, who was a sensible kid and didn’t go astray, Yun Miao was a cheeky monkey who seemed gentle on the outside but bold inside.
If spoiling continued, who knew what chaos might ensue?
Nearby, Tian Laokou, hearing how Yun Miao nearly messed with the precious spiritual plants in his field, clenched his heart in fear and vowed to reinforce the formation protecting his Spiritual Field.
No way was he going to let this mischievous monkey ruin his treasures.
Yet as Yun Miao’s unabashed promise rang out, they all softened inwardly, seemingly understanding Sect Master’s affection.
Indeed, she was a lively and adorable good child.